Humanities › History & Culture Inventor Lloyd Ray Profile Share Flipboard Email Print webphotographeer / Getty Images History & Culture Inventions Famous Inventions Famous Inventors Patents & Trademarks Invention Timelines Computers & The Internet American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture Asian History European History Genealogy Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Mary Bellis Mary Bellis Inventions Expert Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on February 02, 2019 African American inventor Lloyd Ray (born in 1860) patented a new and useful improvement in dustpans. Very little is known about the background and life of Lloyd Ray, but it is clear that he had the ability to think outside of the box to solve problems. In this case, the problem was twofold—cleaning became a very dirty activity if you had to toil away on your hands and knees, and also, it was difficult to manage and collect the actual dirt. Building a Better Dustpan The most important aspect of Ray’s design was that it solved both problems. The long handle made it a lot cleaner and simpler to clean, and the steel collection box meant that trash could be scooped up without the need to throw away garbage every few minutes. Ray's dustpan received a patent on August 3, 1897. Unlike the original types of dustpans, Ray's industrial version added on a handle that allowed a person to sweep trash into the pan without dirtying their hands. The handle addition was made out of wood, while the collection plate on the dustpan was metal. Ray's patent for his dustpan was only the 165th patent to be issued in the United States. Ray’s idea became a template for many other designs. It really hasn’t changed in nearly 130 years and is most notably the foundation for modern pooper scoopers, favored by pet owners the world over. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Bellis, Mary. "Inventor Lloyd Ray Profile." ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/lloyd-ray-dust-pans-4071178. Bellis, Mary. (2021, February 16). Inventor Lloyd Ray Profile. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/lloyd-ray-dust-pans-4071178 Bellis, Mary. "Inventor Lloyd Ray Profile." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/lloyd-ray-dust-pans-4071178 (accessed May 30, 2023). copy citation Featured Video